- brightest optical viewfinder available now (no lag, yet not as dim as DSLRs VF in the dark).

- ability to see beyond the framelines.

- no viewfinder blackout.

These are all points you can't have with other types of viewfinders, so it still has a number competitive advantages that make it relevant even today.

Most of these advantages become useful, IMHO, mostly for street photography or associated genres.

I have three rangefinders. Each are coupled to the lens, or have a built-in lens. The X series has none of the benefits of manual focusing available in the OVF - which it could if it had an overlay option in the OVF alongside horizon, exposure, etc.

It's not that I'm unfamiliar with OVFs or rangefinder windows - everyone knows the benefits and disadvantages of those. It's that this is a HYBRID with functionality that could overlay part of the focus function of the EVF in manual mode in the OVF and it doesn't. It's been nearly two years that the X100 has been out and still, no hint of firmware to use what can be done.

It isn't coupling or triangulation, it's merely a window that previews focus for a specific area. It's been done since the early 2000's in EVF's of certain cameras. It can be done in the OVF. But it's not.

The thing is that other than that: image quality, handling, ergonomics, and the immediacy of having exposure and compensation plus threaded shutter release at your finger tips and having the settings known prior to turning on the camera - things every modern camera lacks - those things are what makes the Fuji special. But in order to make a perfect a camera with traditional, solid layout, you need to first make sure that all parts are in some sort of agreement. Currently, the OVF is too small and tunnel-vision like. It is less clear than the X100.

But even the X100's hybrid OVF lacks the basic abilities that all cameras it takes its looks from have. That is focusing via the lens and not the computer. Only the Contax G1 had computer focusing. Fuji tout the hybrid OVF but they are not using it to anywhere near its full and rightful ability.